AusBonsai

Sounds like the start of a joke, where some plants walk into a bar ... except in this case, the succulents were already in this pot (an old hand me down, indoor pot) then the bottllebrush and ficus sprang up one day. I've left them to their own, out of laziness and curiosity.

Why is it, that these all thrive, despite my total neglect? Then the trees I do tend to, suffer? It also looks better than my Ikebana class project I did last year, haha.

So today I lifted the pot, yep, roots out below. There is a little tray, maybe the residual water is soaked up? Is it ye olde "forest sharing resources survival guide"? Or just nature is better at growing trees than me?

They are among a few other pots, and shielded by my large maple (see top of photo collage). Trying to unlock their secrets and apply to the rest of my trees.

Any insights welcomed ...

great geometry and proportions in your project!

I have also wondered about this phenomenon.
I have self sown Japanese maple seedlings growing in with cymbidiums and in a succulent container. The Japanese maples in the nursery need water twice a day and show their displeasure if they miss a single watering cycle. The self sown seedling in the succulent pot grows well and seems happy when it gets water once a week and sometimes even less often, even then it's often just a quick splash rather than the thorough soaking I give the bonsai pots. The cymbidiums get water every 2-3 days and the seedlings there are over a metre tall.

I also wonder about epiphyte ficuses growing way up in trees in the scorching Sydney sun, long days between Sydney rainfall, taking years for their roots to reach the ground...

I forget to water a ficus once in a 24 hour period and they start sulking.

A bottlebrush, a ficus, and some succulents walk into a bar.
The bartender says: “You guys need to leave”

I forget to water a ficus once in a 24 hour period and they start sulking.

Several times I've deliberately left Ficus out away from water in the hopes they would die. One container survived all summer on just occasional rainfall. Another one has come back to life this summer after surviving a Yackandandah winter in the open - and no additional water through summer.